Entertainment

Update: The download link for the free navigation is now live on Nokia's site. For the list of compatible devices, go here. Another important thing: Navigation works offline, which is great if you want to avoid international roaming charges.

There's no denying it anymore: GPS is becoming a free service. It all started with Google Earth and Google Maps, which offered detailed satellite imagery of Earth for free; then, the iPhone and other smartphones started coming out with GPS chips, and GPS navigation (together with other location-based services) became one of the most important features on smartphones.

Nokia's offering will provide smartphone users with turn-by-turn directions covering 74 countries in 46 languages, with detailed maps for 180 countries. Since today's smartphones have practically all the traits of a good GPS navigation device — large, bright screen, loudspeakers as well as Internet connectivity — it's obvious that with this move, standalone GPS navigation devices have essentially become niche products. If you need a rugged, outdoor model or a boating GPS unit, you'll buy a standalone device. But in most cases, the GPS chip and software that comes with your Nokia or Android smartphone (the price for GPS software for the iPhone is also plummeting towards zero) will be enough for your GPS navigation needs.

As for Nokia, there's no denying that it's been a bit bruised and battered by iPhone and Android growth (in contrast to its aging Symbian platform); with this move, they're trying to stay ahead of the competition and offer some extra value to users of their smartphones. Looking at the short history of GPS on smartphones, free GPS was already inevitable; hat tip goes to Nokia for recognizing the trend and acting on it relatively early.

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